Windows 8 vs Windows RT

 

Windows 8 is written for x86 processors, such as the Intel and AMD variants found inside your existing PC or laptop; Windows RT is written for the ARM processors found inside your tablet or smartphone. Except that it won’t actually run on your smartphone - for that, you will need Windows Phone 8. Windows 8 and RT look the same, and use the same gestures, but there are some subtle differences.

One is that you can’t buy Windows RT, in the same way you can’t buy Apple’s OS operating system for the iPad. It comes pre-installed on a tablet.

Windows RT is compatible with apps downloaded from the Windows Store, as is Windows 8. However, RT comes with Microsoft Office pre-installed; Windows 8 does not.

Windows RT does not include the traditional Windows desktop required to run legacy programs; Windows 8 does. Both the standard version of Windows 8 and RT also lack some of the features found in Windows 8 Pro: there’s no Windows Media Player, nor BitLocker encryption, no domain support and, although there’s Remote Desktop, it works only as a client, so you can’t remotely connect to a Windows RT tablet.

Windows RT includes the Internet Explorer 10.0 web browser, the Office 2013 productivity suite, plus apps for Mail, Calendar, Maps, Photos, Music, Videos, Weather, People, News, Travel, Finance and SkyDrive. There’s also Windows Defender, Exchange ActiveSync and support for virtual private networks (VPNs).

Microsoft has confirmed that Internet Explorer 10.0 in RT will support Flash, which is used on many websites and for a lot of internet video. Flash is also supported in the desktop version of Windows 8.